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Aging of the hematopoietic stem cell compartment is believed to contribute to the onset of a variety of age-dependent blood cell pathophysiologies. Mechanistic drivers of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) aging include DNA damage accumulation and induction of tumor suppressor pathways that combine to reduce the regenerative capacity of aged HSCs. Such mechanisms do not however account for the change in lymphoid and myeloid lineage potential characteristic of HSC aging, which is believed to be central to the decline of immune competence and predisposition to myelogenous diseases in the elderly. Here we have prospectively isolated functionally distinct HSC clonal subtypes, based on cell surface phenotype, bearing intrinsically different capacities to differentiate toward lymphoid and myeloid effector cells mediated by quantitative differences in lineage priming. Finally, we present data supporting a model in which clonal expansion of a class of intrinsically myeloid-biased HSCs with robust self-renewal potential is a central component of hematopoietic aging.

Even though the development of B lymphoid cells from hematopoietic stem cells is one of the most carefully investigated models of cell differentiation in adult mammalians, a set of recent findings has to a large extent increased our understanding for how B lymphoid commitment is achieved. These include the identification of IKAROS, PU.1 and E2A as transcription factors responsible for lymphoid lineage priming in multipotent cells, as well as the identification of EBF1 dependent B lineage restricted progenitors among cells lacking expression of the classical B lineage markers CD19 or 8220. The insight that the B cell identity may be defined at an earlier stage then previously thought, allows for an increased understanding of B lymphoid development likely to unravel molecular mechanisms of high relevance also for other differentiation processes within as well as outside of the hematopoietic system.

It is now established that the transcription factors E2A, EBF1 and Foxo1 have critical roles in B cell development. Here we show that E2A and EBF1 bound regulatory elements present in the Foxo1 locus. E2A and EBF1, as well as E2A and Foxo1, in turn, were wired together by a vast spectrum of cis-regulatory sequences. These associations were dynamic during developmental progression. Occupancy by the E2A isoform E47 directly resulted in greater abundance, as well as a pattern of monomethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4) across putative enhancer regions. Finally, we divided the pro-B cell epigenome into clusters of loci with occupancy by E2A, EBF and Foxo1. From this analysis we constructed a global network consisting of transcriptional regulators, signaling and survival factors that we propose orchestrates B cell fate.

The hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) is characterized by its ability to self-renew and produce all mature blood cells throughout the life of an organism. This is tightly regulated to maintain a balance between survival, proliferation, and differentiation. The HSCs are located in specialized niches in the bone marrow thought to be low in oxygen, which is suggested to be involved in the regulation of HSC maintenance, proliferation, and migration. However, the importance of hypoxia in the stem cell niche and the molecular mechanisms involved remain fairly undefined. Another important regulator of human HSCs maintenance is the tyrosine kinase receptor FLT3, which triggers survival of HSCs and progenitor cells. Mutations in FLT3 cause constitutively active signaling. This leads to uncontrolled survival and proliferation, which can result in development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). One of the purposes with this thesis is to investigate how survival, proliferation and self-renewal in normal HSCs are affected by hypoxia. To study this, we used both in vitro and in vivo models with isolated Lineage-Sca-1+Kit+ (LSK) and CD34-Flt3-LSK cells from mouse bone marrow. We found that hypoxia maintained an immature phenotype. In addition, hypoxia decreased proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest, which is the signature of HSCs with long term multipotential capacity. A dormant state of HSCs is suggested to be critical for protecting and preventing depletion of the stem cell pool. Furthermore, we observed that hypoxia rescues HSCs from oxidative stress-induced cell death, implicating that hypoxia is important in the bone marrow niche to limit reactive oxidative species (ROS) production and give life-long protection of HSCs. Another focus in this thesis is to investigate downstream pathways involved in tyrosine kinase inhibitor-induced cell death of primary AML cells and cell lines expressing mutated FLT3. Our results demonstrate an important role of the PI3K/AKT pathway to mediate survival signals from FLT3. We found FoxO3a and its target gene Bim to be key players of apoptosis in cells carrying oncogenic FLT3 after treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In conclusion, this thesis highlights hypoxic-mediated regulation of normal HSCs maintenance and critical effectors of apoptosis in leukemic cells expressing mutated FLT3.

Abstract [en]

Self-renewal is a prerequisite for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow throughout adult life. Cytokines are mainly providing pro-survival signals of HSC, whereas low oxygen levels (hypoxia) were recently shown to influence self-renewal. In contrast, the effects on other progenitor cell types is not clear. In the present work, we have analyzed whether hypoxia has any effects on mouse multipotent progenitors. When bone marrow-derived Lin-Sca1+c-kit+ (LSK) cells were kept in hypoxic cultures (1% O2 ) for 4 days together with cytokines, the numbers of colony forming high-proliferative progenitors (HPP-CFC) and precursors for cobble-stone forming cells (CAFC) were increased compared to normoxic conditions. A similar effect was seen with pre-CFCmultifrom unfractionated bone marrow, whereas more committed progenitors (CFU-GM) were expanded better in normoxia compared to hypoxia. The observed increase in numbers of primitive colony-forming progenitor cells was associated with maintenance of the c-kit/Sca-1 phenotype and a preferential expansion of immature blast-like appearing cells. The results suggest that a major function of hypoxia is to regulate differentiation by increased self-renewal. Furthermore, in cultures of limited cytokine supply, survival of the stem cell-like cell line FDCP-mix was increased during hypoxia. Thus, hypoxia allows for better survival and self-renewal of multipotent progenitors and HSCs from adult bone marrow. Such culture conditions may have beneficial clinical implications for ex vivo purposes and may improve the yields of stem cells and early progenitors.

Abstract [en]

Objective. Recent evidence suggests that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow (BM) are located in areas where the environment is hypoxic. Although previous studies have demonstrated positive effects by hypoxia, its role in HSC maintenance has not been fully elucidated, neither has the molecular mechanisms been delineated. Here, we have investigated the consequence of in vitro incubation of HSCs in hypoxia prior to transplantation and analyzed the role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 alpha. Materials and Methods. HSC and progenitor populations isolated from mouse BM were cultured in 20% or 1% O-2, and analyzed for effects on cell cycle, expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors genes, and reconstituting ability to lethally irradiated mice. The involvement of HIF-1 alpha was studied using methods of protein stabilization and gene silencing. Results. When long-term FLT3(-)CD34(-)Lin(-)Sca-1(+)c-Kit(+) (LSK) cells were cultured in hypoxia, cell numbers were significantly reduced in comparison to normoxia. This was due to a decrease in proliferation and more cells accumulating in G(0). Moreover, the proportion of HSCs with long-term engraftment potential was increased. Whereas expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor genes p21(cip1), p27(Kip1), and p57(Kip2) increased in LSK cells by hypoxia, only p21(cip1) was upregulated in FLT3(-)CD34(-)LSK cells. We could demonstrate that expression of p27(KiP1) and p57(Kip2) was dependent of HIF-1 alpha. Surprisingly, overexpression of constitutively active HIF-1 alpha or treatment with the HIF stabilizer agent FG-4497 led to a reduction in HSC reconstituting ability. Conclusions. Our results imply that hypoxia, in part via HIF-1 alpha, maintains HSCs by decreasing proliferation and favoring quiescence.

On the day of the defence date the title of this article was "Hypoxia, via hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1, mediates low cell cycle activity and preserves the engraftment potential of mouse hematopoietic stem cells" and one of the authors is no longer included in the article.

When finally published online the title of this article changed name to Hypoxia mediates low cell-cycle activity and increases the proportion of long-term-reconstituting hematopoietic stem cells during in vitro culture.

Jönsson, Jan-Ingvar

Abstract [en]

A balanced regulation of the ability of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to undergo self-renewal and give rise to new blood cells is crucial for blood homeostasis. Recent studies utilizing genetically modified mice have demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage cellular functions and decrease the lifespan of long-term (LT) HSCs. These LT-HSCs are predominately located in a low-oxygen, or hypoxic, niche, essential for maintaining stem cell capacities. Here, we show that hypoxic culturing rescues HSCs from oxidative stress-induced cell death. Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 and its target gene pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) were both crucial for survival and long term repopulating ability of HSCs, but less important for hypoxic resistance towards oxidative stress. Moreover, hypoxia increased the expression of Foxo3a, a transcription factor important in adaption to stress stimuli. In conclusion, hypoxia protects LT-HSCs from oxidative stress, possibly by multiple mechanisms, where Foxo3a is likely to play a central role.

Open this publication in new window or tab >>BH3-only protein Bim more critical than Puma in tyrosine kinase inhibitor-induced apoptosis of human leukemic cells and transduced hematopoietic progenitors carrying oncogenic FLT3.

Abstract [en]

Constitutively activating internal tandem duplications (ITD) of FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3) are the most common mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and correlate with poor prognosis. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting FLT3 have developed as attractive treatment options. Because relapses occur after initial responses, identification of FLT3-ITD–mediated signaling events are important to facilitate novel therapeutic interventions. Here, we have determined the growth-inhibitory and proapototic mechanisms of 2 small molecule inhibitors of FLT3, AG1295 or PKC412, in hematopoietic progenitor cells, human leukemic cell lines, and primary AML cells expressing FLT3-ITD. Inactivation of the PI3-kinase pathway, but not of Ras–mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling, was essential to elicit cytotoxic responses. Both compounds induced up-regulation of proapoptotic BH3-only proteins Bim and Puma, and subsequent cell death. However, only silencing of Bim, or its direct transcriptional activator FOXO3a, abrogated apoptosis efficiently. Similar findings were made in bone marrow cells from gene-targeted mice lacking Bim and/or Puma infected with FLT3-ITD and treated with inhibitor, where loss of Puma only provided transient protection from apoptosis, but loss of Bim preserved clonal survival upon FLT3-ITD inhibition.

The enormous regenerative capacity of the blood system to sustain functionally mature cells are generated from highly proliferative, short-lived progenitors, which in turn arise from a rare population of pluripotent and self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). In the bone marrow, these stem cells are kept in a low proliferative, relatively quiescent state in close proximity to stromal cells and osteoblasts, forming specialized niches. The interaction in particular to bone is crucial to prevent exhaustion of HSCs from uncontrolled cell-cycle entry and to excessive proliferation. In addition, the niche and its components protect stem cells from stress, such as accumulation of reactive oxygen species and DNA damage. One of the key issues is to identify conditions to increase the number of HSCs, either in vivo or during ex vivo growth cultures. This task has been very difficult to resolve and most attempts have been unsuccessful. However, the mechanistic insights to HSC self-renewal and preservation are gradually increasing and there is now hope that future research will enable scientists and clinicians to modulate the process. In this review, we will focus on the molecular mechanisms of self-renewal and HSC maintenance in the light of novel findings that HSCs reside at the lowest end of an oxygen gradient. Hypoxia appears to regulate hematopoiesis in the bone marrow by maintaining important HSC functions, such as cell cycle control, survival, metabolism, and protection against oxidative stress. To improve the therapeutic expansion of HSCs we need to learn more about the molecular mechanisms of hypoxia-mediated regulation.

Objective. Recent evidence suggests that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow (BM) are located in areas where the environment is hypoxic. Although previous studies have demonstrated positive effects by hypoxia, its role in HSC maintenance has not been fully elucidated, neither has the molecular mechanisms been delineated. Here, we have investigated the consequence of in vitro incubation of HSCs in hypoxia prior to transplantation and analyzed the role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 alpha. Materials and Methods. HSC and progenitor populations isolated from mouse BM were cultured in 20% or 1% O-2, and analyzed for effects on cell cycle, expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors genes, and reconstituting ability to lethally irradiated mice. The involvement of HIF-1 alpha was studied using methods of protein stabilization and gene silencing. Results. When long-term FLT3(-)CD34(-)Lin(-)Sca-1(+)c-Kit(+) (LSK) cells were cultured in hypoxia, cell numbers were significantly reduced in comparison to normoxia. This was due to a decrease in proliferation and more cells accumulating in G(0). Moreover, the proportion of HSCs with long-term engraftment potential was increased. Whereas expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor genes p21(cip1), p27(Kip1), and p57(Kip2) increased in LSK cells by hypoxia, only p21(cip1) was upregulated in FLT3(-)CD34(-)LSK cells. We could demonstrate that expression of p27(KiP1) and p57(Kip2) was dependent of HIF-1 alpha. Surprisingly, overexpression of constitutively active HIF-1 alpha or treatment with the HIF stabilizer agent FG-4497 led to a reduction in HSC reconstituting ability. Conclusions. Our results imply that hypoxia, in part via HIF-1 alpha, maintains HSCs by decreasing proliferation and favoring quiescence.

A balanced regulation of the ability of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to undergo self-renewal and give rise to new blood cells is crucial for blood homeostasis. Recent studies utilizing genetically modified mice have demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage cellular functions and decrease the lifespan of long-term (LT) HSCs. These LT-HSCs are predominately located in a low-oxygen, or hypoxic, niche, essential for maintaining stem cell capacities. Here, we show that hypoxic culturing rescues HSCs from oxidative stress-induced cell death. Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 and its target gene pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) were both crucial for survival and long term repopulating ability of HSCs, but less important for hypoxic resistance towards oxidative stress. Moreover, hypoxia increased the expression of Foxo3a, a transcription factor important in adaption to stress stimuli. In conclusion, hypoxia protects LT-HSCs from oxidative stress, possibly by multiple mechanisms, where Foxo3a is likely to play a central role.

Immune-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis is critical for fever and other centrally elicited disease symptoms. The production of PGE2 depends on cyclooxygenase-2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), but the identity of the cells involved has been a matter of controversy. We generated mice expressing mPGES-1 either in cells of hematopoietic or nonhematopoietic origin. Mice lacking mPGES-1 in hematopoietic cells displayed an intact febrile response to lipopolysaccharide, associated with elevated levels of PGE2 in the cerebrospinal fluid. In contrast, mice that expressed mPGES-1 only in hematopoietic cells, although displaying elevated PGE2 levels in plasma but not in the cerebrospinal fluid, showed no febrile response to lipopolysaccharide, thus pointing to the critical role of brain-derived PGE2 for fever. Immunohistochemical stainings showed that induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression in the brain exclusively occurred in endothelial cells, and quantitative PCR analysis on brain cells isolated by flow cytometry demonstrated that mPGES-1 is induced in endothelial cells and not in vascular wall macrophages. Similar analysis on liver cells showed induced expression in macrophages and not in endothelial cells, pointing at the distinct role for brain endothelial cells in PGE2 synthesis. These results identify the brain endothelial cells as the PGE2-producing cells critical for immune-induced fever.

As the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) broadens, the importance of having specific and efficient contrast agents increases and there has been a huge development in the fields of molecular imaging and intracellular markers.

Previous studies have shown that gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3 ) nanoparticles generate higher relaxivity than currently available Gd chelates. The Gd2O3 nanoparticles are also promising for MRI cell tracking. The aim of the present work was to study cell labeling with Gd2O3 nanoparticles and to improve techniques for monitoring hematopoietic stem cell migration by MRI.

We studied particle uptake in two cell lines; the hematopoietic progenitor cell line Ba/F3 and the monocytic cell line THP-1. Cells were incubated with Gd2O3 nanoparticles as well as superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIOs) for comparison. In addition, it was investigated whether the transfection agent protamine sulfate increased the particle uptake. Treated cells were examined by microscopic techniques, MRI and analyzed for particle content.

Results showed that particles were intracellular, however in Ba/F3 only sparsely. The relaxation times were shortened with increasing particle concentration. Overall relaxivities, r1 and r2 for Gd2O3 nanoparticles in all cell samples measured were 5.1 ± 0.3 and 14.9 ± 0.7 (s-1mM-1) respectively. Goodness of fit was 0.97 in both cases. Protamine sulfate treatment increased the uptake in both Ba/F3 cells and THP-1 cells.

Viability of treated cells was not significantly decreased and thus, we conclude that the use of Gd2O3 nanoparticles is suitable for this type of cell labeling by means of detecting and monitoring hematopoietic cells.

The early B-cell factor (EBF) transcription factors are central regulators of development in several organs and tissues. This protein family shows low sequence similarity to other protein families, which is why structural information for the functional domains of these proteins is crucial to understand their biochemical features. We have used a modular approach to determine the crystal structures of the structured domains in the EBF family. The DNA binding domain reveals a striking resemblance to the DNA binding domains of the Rel homology superfamily of transcription factors but contains a unique zinc binding structure, termed zinc knuckle. Further the EBF proteins contain an IPT/TIG domain and an atypical helix-loop-helix domain with a novel type of dimerization motif. The data presented here provide insights into unique structural features of the EBF proteins and open possibilities for detailed molecular investigations of this important transcription factor family.

Background: The telomeric region of mouse chromosome 12 has previously shown frequent allelic loss in murine lymphoma. The Bcl11b gene has been identified and suggested as a candidate tumor suppressor gene within this region. In this study, we aimed to elucidate whether Bcl11b is mutated in lymphomas with allelic loss, and whether the mutations we detected conferred any effect on cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Methods: Mouse lymphomas induced by 1,3-butadiene or 2',3'-dideoxycytidine were analysed for mutations in the Bcl11b gene using single strand conformation analysis and direct DNA sequencing. Effects on cell proliferation by the detected mutations were studied by expressing wild-type and mutant Bcl11b in the cytokine-dependent hematopoietic progenitor cell line FDC-P1, lacking endogenous Bcl11b expression.

Conclusion: The genetic alterations detected in this study suggest that the three C-terminal zinc fingers of Bcl11b are important for the DNA-binding. Cell proliferation was suppressed by overexpression of wild-type Bcl11b but enhanced by mutant Bcl11b, indicating that these mutations may be an important contributing factor to lymphomagenesis in a subset of tumors.

In the absence of early B-cell factor 1 (EBF1), B-cell development is arrested at an uncommitted progenitor stage that exhibits increased lineage potentials. Previously, we investigated the roles of EBF1 and its DNA-binding partner Runx1 by evaluating B lymphopoiesis in single (EBF1(het) and Runx1(het)) and compound haploinsufficent (Ebf1(+/-) Runx1(+/-), ER(het)) mice. Here, we demonstrate that decreased Ebf1 gene dosage results in the inappropriate expression of NK-cell lineage-specific genes in B-cell progenitors. Moreover, prolonged expression of Ly6a/Sca-1 suggested the maintenance of a relatively undifferentiated phenotype. These effects were exacerbated by reduced expression of Runx1 and occurred despite expression of Pax5. Repression of inappropriately expressed genes was restored in most pre-B and all immature B cells of ER(het) mice. Enforced EBF1 expression repressed promiscuous transcription in pro-B cells of ER(het) mice and in Ebf1(-/-) Pax5(-/-) fetal liver cells. Together, our studies suggest that normal levels of EBF1 are critical for maintaining B-cell identity by directing repression of non-B-cell-specific genes.

Human hematopoietic stem cells reside in the CD34+CD38-CD90+ population in cord blood and bone marrow. However, this cell fraction is heterogeneous, and the phenotype of the rare primitive stem cells remains poorly defined. We here report that primitive cord blood CD34+CD38-CD90+ stem cells, with the ability to reconstitute NOD/SCID-IL2R gamma(c)null (NSG) mice long-term, at 24 weeks after transplantation, can be prospectively isolated at an increased purity by using integrin alpha 2 receptor as an additional stem cell marker. Using a limiting dilution transplantation assay, we found a highly significant enrichment of multilineage reconstituting stem cells in the CD34+CD38-CD90+ cell fraction expressing the integrin alpha 2 receptor, with a frequency of 1/29 cells, as compared to a frequency of 1/157 in the corresponding integrin alpha 2- cells. In line with this, long-term reconstituting stem cells within the cord blood CD34+CD38- cell population were significantly enriched in the integrin alpha 2+ fraction, while stem cells and progenitors reconstituting short-term, at 8-12 weeks, were heterogeneous in integrin alpha 2 expression. Global gene expression profiling revealed that the lineage-marker negative (Lin-) CD34+CD38-CD90+CD45RA- integrin alpha 2+ cell population was molecularly distinct from the integrin alpha 2- cell population and the more mature Lin-CD34+CD38-CD90-CD45RA- cell population. Our findings identify integrin alpha 2 as a novel stem cell marker, which improves prospective isolation of the primitive human hematopoietic stem cells within the CD34+CD38-CD90+ cell population for experimental and therapeutic stem cell applications. STEM CELLS 2013;31:360-371

Recent studies have identified a number of transcriptional regulators, including E2A, early B-cell factor 1 (EBF1), FOXO1, and paired box gene 5 (PAX5), that promote early B-cell development. However, how this ensemble of regulators mechanistically promotes B-cell fate remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that B-cell development in FOXO1-deficient mice is arrested in the common lymphoid progenitor (CLP) LY6D(+) cell stage. We demonstrate that this phenotype closely resembles the arrest in B-cell development observed in EBF1-deficient mice. Consistent with these observations, we find that the transcription signatures of FOXO1- and EBF1-deficient LY6D(+) progenitors are strikingly similar, indicating a common set of target genes. Furthermore, we found that depletion of EBF1 expression in LY6D(+) CLPs severely affects FOXO1 mRNA abundance, whereas depletion of FOXO1 activity in LY6D(+) CLPs ablates EBF1 transcript levels. We generated a global regulatory network from EBF1 and FOXO1 genome-wide transcription factor occupancy and transcription signatures derived from EBF1- and FOXO1-deficient CLPs. This analysis reveals that EBF1 and FOXO1 act in a positive feedback circuitry to promote and stabilize specification to the B-cell lineage.

Background: Inorganic mercury (Hg) induces a T-cell dependent, systemic autoimmune condition (HgIA) where activating Fc gamma-receptors (Fc gamma Rs) are important for the induction. In this study we examined the influence of activating Fc gamma Rs on circulating levels and organ localization of immune complexes (IC) in HgIA. Methods and Principal Findings: Mercury treated BALB/c wt mice showed a significant but modest increase of circulating IC (CIC) from day 12 until day 18 and day 35 for IgG2a- and IgG1- CIC, respectively. Mercury-treated mice lacking the transmembrane gamma-chain of activating Fc gamma Rs (FcR gamma(-/-)) had significantly higher CIC levels of both IgG1-CIC and IgG2a-CIC than wt mice during the treatment course. The hepatic uptake of preformed CIC was significantly more efficient in wt mice compared to Fc gamma R-/- mice, but also development of extrahepatic tissue IC deposits was delayed in FcR gamma(-/-) mice. After 35 days of Hg treatment the proportion of immune deposits, as well as the amounts was significantly reduced in vessel FcR gamma(-/-) mice compared to wt mice. Conclusions: We conclude that mice lacking functional activating Fc gamma Rs respond to Hg with increased levels and altered quality of CIC compared with wt mice. Lack of functional activating Fc gamma Rs delayed the elimination of CIC, but also significantly reduced extrahepatic tissue localization of CIC.

Recent studies have documented genome-wide binding patterns of transcriptional regulators and their associated epigenetic marks in hematopoietic cell lineages. In order to determine how epigenetic marks are established and maintained during developmental progression, we have generated long-term cultures of hematopoietic progenitors by enforcing the expression of the E-protein antagonist Id2. Hematopoietic progenitors that express Id2 are multipotent and readily differentiate upon withdrawal of Id2 expression into committed B lineage cells, thus indicating a causative role for E2A (Tcf3) in promoting the B cell fate. Genome-wide analyses revealed that a substantial fraction of lymphoid and myeloid enhancers are premarked by the poised or active enhancer mark H3K4me1 in multipotent progenitors. Thus, in hematopoietic progenitors, multilineage priming of enhancer elements precedes commitment to the lymphoid or myeloid cell lineages.

CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells (Tregs) are implicated in maintenance of murine pregnancy. However, reports regarding circulating Treg frequencies in human pregnancy are inconsistent and the functionality and phenotype of these cells in pregnancy have not been clarified. The aim was to determine the frequency, phenotype and function of circulating Tregs in second trimester human pregnancy and the influence of progesterone and 17β-estradiol on Treg phenotype and frequency. Based on expression of Foxp3, CD127 and HLA-DR, as determined by multi-color flow cytometry, we defined a proper CD4dimCD25high Treg population and showed, in contrast to most previous reports, that this population was reduced in second trimester pregnancy. Unexpectedly, Foxp3 expression was decreased in the Treg, as well as in the CD4+ population. These changes could be replicated in an in vitro system resembling the pregnancy hormonal milieu, where 17β-estradiol, and in particular progesterone, induced, in line with the pregnancy situation, a reduction of CD4dimCD25highFoxp3+ cells in PBMC from non-pregnant women. By co-culturing FACS-sorted Tregs and autologous CD4+CD25- responder cells, we showed that Tregs from pregnant women still displayed the same suppressive capacity as non-pregnant women in terms of suppressing IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ secretion from responder cells while efficiently producing IL-4 and IL-10. Our findings support the view of hormones, particularly progesterone, as critical regulators of Tregs in pregnancy. Further, we suggest that in the light of the results of this study, early data on circulating Treg frequencies in pregnancy need re-evaluation.

Mast cells are found in tissues throughout the body where they play important roles in the regulation of inflammatory responses. One characteristic feature of mast cells is their longevity. Although it is well established that mast cell survival is dependent on stem cell factor (SCF), it has not been described how this process is regulated. Herein, we report that SCF promotes mast cell survival through inactivation of the Forkhead transcription factor FOXO3a (forkhead box, class O3A) and down-regulation and phosphorylation of its target Bim (Bcl-2 [B-cell lymphoma-2] interacting modulator of cell death), a Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3)-only proapoptotic protein. SCF induced a rapid and transient phosphorylation of Akt (protein kinase B) and FOXO3a. SCF treatment prevented up-regulation of Bim protein expression and led to increased Bim phosphorylation. Bim phosphorylation was inhibited by PD98059 and LY294002 treatment, suggesting the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEKJMAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3)-kinase pathways in this process. Overexpression of phosphorylation-deficient FOXO3a caused an up-regulation of Bim and induced mast cell apoptosis even in the presence of SCF. Mast cell apoptosis induced by the phosphorylation-deficient FOXO3a was attenuated in bim(-/-) mast cells. Because apoptosis is abnormally reduced in bim(-/-) mast cells, these data provide evidence that Akt-mediated inhibition of FOXO3a and its transcription target Bim provides an important mechanism by which SCF acts to prevent apoptosis in mast cells.

To investigate molecular events involved in the regulation of lymphoid lineage commitment, we crossed lambda 5 reporter transgenic mice to Rag1-GFP knockin mice. This allowed us to subfractionate common lymphoid progenitors and pre-pro-B (fraction A) cells into lambda 5(-)Rag1(low), lambda 5(-)Rag1(high), and lambda 5(+)Rag1(high) cells. Clonal in vitro differentiation analysis demonstrated that Rag1(low) cells gave rise to B/T and NK cells. Rag1(high) cells displayed reduced NK-cell potential with preserved capacity to generate B- and T-lineage cells, whereas the lambda 5(+) cells were B-lineage restricted. Ebf1 and Pax5 expression was largely confined to the Rag1high populations. These cells also expressed a higher level of the surface protein LY6D, providing an additional tool for the analysis of early lymphoid development. These data suggest that the classic common lymphoid progenitor compartment composes a mixture of cells with relatively restricted lineage potentials, thus opening new possibilities to investigate early hematopoiesis.

Aging causes profound effects on the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) pool, including an altered output of mature progeny and enhanced self-propagation of repopulating-defective HSCs. An important outstanding question is whether HSCs can be protected from aging. The signal adaptor protein LNK negatively regulates hematopoiesis at several cellular stages. It has remained unclear how the enhanced sensitivity to cytokine signaling caused by LNK deficiency affects hematopoiesis upon aging. Our findings demonstrate that aged LNK-/- HSCs displayed a robust overall reconstitution potential and gave rise to a hematopoietic system with a balanced lineage distribution. Although aged LNK-/- HSCs displayed a distinct molecular profile in which reduced proliferation was central, little or no difference in the proliferation of aged LNK-/- HSCs was observed after transplantation when compared to aged WT HSCs. This coincided with equal telomere maintenance in WT and LNK-/- HSCs. Collectively, our studies suggest that enhanced cytokine signaling can counteract functional age-related HSC decline.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a severe disease, which originates in blood-forming cells. Although major advances in understanding the biology of AML, the majority of patients eventually succumb to the disease. The tyrosine kinase receptor FLT3 has become an attractive therapeutic target AML for two major reasons; 1) It is one of the most frequently mutated genes in AML (about 30%). 2) Most of these mutations (FLT3-ITDs) correlate with an increased risk of relapse and poor overall survival. Small targeting inhibitors towards FLT3 have been designed and evaluated in clinical trials. However, the experiences from clinical trials are that drug resistance develops in a substantial number of patients. To overcome these resistance-associated problems it its important to improve the understanding of how FLT3 mutations function and how they respond to targeting drugs. This was addressed in this thesis by elucidating FLT3-ITD cell transformation mechanisms, identifying key downstream target molecules of mutated FLT3 and exploring the effect of various targeting inhibitors. The major finding of my thesis is that FLT3-targeting drugs elicit apoptosis through a FOXO3a-dependent upregulation of proapoptotic BH3-only protein Bim via inactivation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, we have identified an interesting apoptotic mechanism, linked to increased ROS levels caused by expressing hyperactivated AKT in hematopoietic stem cells and bone marrow progenitor cells from FLT3-ITD transgenic mice. These findings are interesting from a therapeutic point of view. We have also shown that canertinib, an inhibitor of the ERBB receptor family, targets mutated FLT3 in vitro and in vivo. The irreversible binding mechanism of canertinib, as well as its multikinase activity, is attractive features. Overall, the results presented herein could provide basis for future directions in treatment of FLT3 mutant positive AML patients. Finally, we studied nine different FLT3-ITD mutations ranging in length from 6-33 amino acids. Data from this study suggest that different FLT3-ITDs may induce distinct degrees of transformation and that they respond differentially to FLT3-targeting drugs. These differences were not associated with size of the duplication but rather the mutational composition. In conclusion, this thesis explores the biologic features of FLT3 mutations and therapeutic targeting opportunities.

Open this publication in new window or tab >>BH3-only protein Bim more critical than Puma in tyrosine kinase inhibitor-induced apoptosis of human leukemic cells and transduced hematopoietic progenitors carrying oncogenic FLT3.

Abstract [en]

Constitutively activating internal tandem duplications (ITD) of FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3) are the most common mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and correlate with poor prognosis. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting FLT3 have developed as attractive treatment options. Because relapses occur after initial responses, identification of FLT3-ITD–mediated signaling events are important to facilitate novel therapeutic interventions. Here, we have determined the growth-inhibitory and proapototic mechanisms of 2 small molecule inhibitors of FLT3, AG1295 or PKC412, in hematopoietic progenitor cells, human leukemic cell lines, and primary AML cells expressing FLT3-ITD. Inactivation of the PI3-kinase pathway, but not of Ras–mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling, was essential to elicit cytotoxic responses. Both compounds induced up-regulation of proapoptotic BH3-only proteins Bim and Puma, and subsequent cell death. However, only silencing of Bim, or its direct transcriptional activator FOXO3a, abrogated apoptosis efficiently. Similar findings were made in bone marrow cells from gene-targeted mice lacking Bim and/or Puma infected with FLT3-ITD and treated with inhibitor, where loss of Puma only provided transient protection from apoptosis, but loss of Bim preserved clonal survival upon FLT3-ITD inhibition.

Abstract [en]

Recent findings have indicated that tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting the ERBB receptor family display anti-leukaemic effects, despite the lack of receptor expression on human leukaemic cells. The occurrence of activating mutations in the gene encoding FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has rendered inhibition of this receptor a promising therapeutic target. Due to possibility of cross-reactivity, we investigated the effect of the irreversible pan-ERBB inhibitor canertinib (CI-1033) on leukaemic cells expressing FLT3. The drug had anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects on primary AML cells and human leukaemic cell lines expressing mutated FLT3. In several AML patient samples, a blast cell population expressing FLT3-internal tandem duplication (ITD) was eradicated by canertinib. Canertinib inhibited receptor autophosphorylation and kinase activity of both mutated and FLT3 ligand stimulated wildtype FLT3, leading to inhibition of the PI3-kinase and MAP kinase pathways. Apoptotic induction was dependent on pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein BCL2L11/BIM because siRNA silencing attenuated apoptosis. Moreover, the drug induced regression of cells expressing FLT3-ITD in a murine in vivo-transplantation model at previously described tolerated doses. These results indicate that canertinib, as an irreversible TKI, could constitute a novel treatment regimen in patients with mutated or overexpressed FLT3.

Jönsson, Jan-Ingvar

Abstract [en]

Internal tandem duplications (ITD) in the FMS like tyrosine kinase (FLT3) receptor are one of the most common classes of mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which presence indicates a poor prognosis. Lengths of FLT3-ITD mutations found in patients can vary from 3 up to hundreds of nucleotides and may be located either in the juxtamembrane domain or the tyrosine kinase-1 domain (TKD1). There are contradicting opinions whether the length of the ITD has an impact on the clinical situation and whether tyrosines duplicated are of any significance for oncogenic signaling. Considering the substantial differences in lengths as well as the variability of start and end points of ITDs, we have performed a study of various FLT3-ITD mutations isolated from AML-patients. The ITD region from leukemic blasts of nine AML patients were sequenced and cloned by PCR into the human wildtype FLT3 cDNA, inserted to a retroviral GFP-containing vector. The hematopoietic progenitor cell line FDC-P1 was used to elucidate the impact of the different ITDs on growth, survival, signal transduction, and resistance to the FLT3-targeting inhibitor PKC412. Interestingly, the shortest and the longest ITDs were two of the three mutations that lead to the poorest survival of cells upon cytokine-deprivation, indicating that ITD size may not influence the transforming potential of cells. Furthermore one ITD that starts and ends relatively 3´ positioned, and comprises the 5´-part of the TKD1 showed both a survival advantage in starvation experiments and a significantly higher proliferation potential in comparison to several other mutations. Two other ITDs spanning this region, but with more 5´localized starting points, displayed less sensitivity to PKC412 treatment. However, this was not associated to STAT5 activity and MCL-1 upregulation as suggested by previous report. Taken together, this study suggests that different FLT3-ITD mutations may induce distinct signaling and response towards FLT3 targeting drugs, dependent of FLT3-ITD composition and not length.

Open this publication in new window or tab >>Hyperactivated AKT is incompatible with survival when coexpressed with additional oncogenes and drives hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells to cell cycle inhibition and apoptosis

Abstract [en]

The PI3K-AKT signaling pathway plays an important role in cell growth and metabolism. Increased AKT activity is frequently seen in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), providing leukemic cells with both growth-promoting and survival signals involved in the transformation process. In AML up to 30% of all patients carry activating mutations in the tyrosine kinase receptor FLT3, leading to activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway as well as STAT5. Here, we investigated the effect of hyperactivated AKT (myristylated AKT) by retroviral transfer to hematopoietic progenitor cells coexpressing STAT5, FLT3-ITD, or antiapoptotic Bcl-2. AKT was unable to relieve cytokine-dependence. Surprisingly, uncontrolled AKT activity was linked to accumulation of cells in the G0 stage of the cell cycle and increased cell numbers became apoptotic. Hyperactivated AKT was incompatible with STAT5-driven proliferation and triggered apoptosis. The same was true also in FLT3-ITDexpressing progenitor cells of transgenic mice. Transplantable hematopoietic stem cells of wildtype and Bcl-2 transgenic mice were impaired in their engraftment ability to recipient mice when expressing hyperactivated AKT. This was linked to AKT-mediated pro-apoptotic functions and not due to effects on homing or migration. Cells expressing hyperactivated AKT displayed higher levels of reactive oxygen species. However, the addition of the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-lysine significantly reduced apoptosis. Taken together, the results indicate that constitutive AKT activity is incompatible with the growth- and survivalpromoting ability of FLT3-ITD and its downstream targets. These findings may provide a novel tool to intervene with AKT activity in leukemia.

Constitutively activating internal tandem duplications (ITD) of FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3) are the most common mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and correlate with poor prognosis. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting FLT3 have developed as attractive treatment options. Because relapses occur after initial responses, identification of FLT3-ITD–mediated signaling events are important to facilitate novel therapeutic interventions. Here, we have determined the growth-inhibitory and proapototic mechanisms of 2 small molecule inhibitors of FLT3, AG1295 or PKC412, in hematopoietic progenitor cells, human leukemic cell lines, and primary AML cells expressing FLT3-ITD. Inactivation of the PI3-kinase pathway, but not of Ras–mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling, was essential to elicit cytotoxic responses. Both compounds induced up-regulation of proapoptotic BH3-only proteins Bim and Puma, and subsequent cell death. However, only silencing of Bim, or its direct transcriptional activator FOXO3a, abrogated apoptosis efficiently. Similar findings were made in bone marrow cells from gene-targeted mice lacking Bim and/or Puma infected with FLT3-ITD and treated with inhibitor, where loss of Puma only provided transient protection from apoptosis, but loss of Bim preserved clonal survival upon FLT3-ITD inhibition.

Internal tandem duplications (ITD) in the FMS like tyrosine kinase (FLT3) receptor are one of the most common classes of mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which presence indicates a poor prognosis. Lengths of FLT3-ITD mutations found in patients can vary from 3 up to hundreds of nucleotides and may be located either in the juxtamembrane domain or the tyrosine kinase-1 domain (TKD1). There are contradicting opinions whether the length of the ITD has an impact on the clinical situation and whether tyrosines duplicated are of any significance for oncogenic signaling. Considering the substantial differences in lengths as well as the variability of start and end points of ITDs, we have performed a study of various FLT3-ITD mutations isolated from AML-patients. The ITD region from leukemic blasts of nine AML patients were sequenced and cloned by PCR into the human wildtype FLT3 cDNA, inserted to a retroviral GFP-containing vector. The hematopoietic progenitor cell line FDC-P1 was used to elucidate the impact of the different ITDs on growth, survival, signal transduction, and resistance to the FLT3-targeting inhibitor PKC412. Interestingly, the shortest and the longest ITDs were two of the three mutations that lead to the poorest survival of cells upon cytokine-deprivation, indicating that ITD size may not influence the transforming potential of cells. Furthermore one ITD that starts and ends relatively 3´ positioned, and comprises the 5´-part of the TKD1 showed both a survival advantage in starvation experiments and a significantly higher proliferation potential in comparison to several other mutations. Two other ITDs spanning this region, but with more 5´localized starting points, displayed less sensitivity to PKC412 treatment. However, this was not associated to STAT5 activity and MCL-1 upregulation as suggested by previous report. Taken together, this study suggests that different FLT3-ITD mutations may induce distinct signaling and response towards FLT3 targeting drugs, dependent of FLT3-ITD composition and not length.

Recent findings have indicated that tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting the ERBB receptor family display anti-leukaemic effects, despite the lack of receptor expression on human leukaemic cells. The occurrence of activating mutations in the gene encoding FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has rendered inhibition of this receptor a promising therapeutic target. Due to possibility of cross-reactivity, we investigated the effect of the irreversible pan-ERBB inhibitor canertinib (CI-1033) on leukaemic cells expressing FLT3. The drug had anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects on primary AML cells and human leukaemic cell lines expressing mutated FLT3. In several AML patient samples, a blast cell population expressing FLT3-internal tandem duplication (ITD) was eradicated by canertinib. Canertinib inhibited receptor autophosphorylation and kinase activity of both mutated and FLT3 ligand stimulated wildtype FLT3, leading to inhibition of the PI3-kinase and MAP kinase pathways. Apoptotic induction was dependent on pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein BCL2L11/BIM because siRNA silencing attenuated apoptosis. Moreover, the drug induced regression of cells expressing FLT3-ITD in a murine in vivo-transplantation model at previously described tolerated doses. These results indicate that canertinib, as an irreversible TKI, could constitute a novel treatment regimen in patients with mutated or overexpressed FLT3.

Despite great progress in the identification of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow (BM), our knowledge of their in vivo cellular identity remains limited. We report here that cells expressing the transcription factor Ebf2 in adult BM display characteristics of MSCs. The Ebf2(+) cells are highly clonal and physiologically quiescent. In vivo lineage-tracing experiments, single cell clone transplantations, and in vitro differentiation assays revealed their self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capacity. Gene expression analysis of the freshly sorted Ebf2(+) cells demonstrated the expression of genes previously reported to be associated with MSCs and the coexpression of multiple lineage-associated genes at the single-cell level. Thus, Ebf2 expression is not restricted to committed osteoblast progenitor cells but rather marks a multipotent mesenchymal progenitor cell population in adult mouse BM. These cells do not appear to completely overlap the previously reported MSC populations. These findings provide new insights into the in vivo cellular identity and molecular properties of BM mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells.

Despite significant progress in our understanding of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) biology during recent years, much of the information is based on experiments using in vitro culture-selected stromal progenitor cells. Therefore, the natural cellular identity of MSCs remains poorly defined. Numerous studies have reported that CD44 expression is one of the characteristics of MSCs in both humans and mice; however, we here have prospectively isolated bone marrow stromal cell subsets from both human and mouse bone marrow by flow cytometry and characterized them by gene expression analysis and function assays. Our data provide functional and molecular evidence suggesting that primary mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells of bone marrow reside in the CD44(-) cell fraction in both mice and humans. The finding that these CD44(-) cells acquire CD44 expression after in vitro culture provides an explanation for the previous misconceptions concerning CD44 expression on MSCs. In addition, the other previous reported MSC markers, including CD73, CD146, CD271, and CD106/VCAM1, are also differentially expressed on those two cell types. Our microarray data revealed a distinct gene expression profile of the freshly isolated CD44(-) cells and the cultured MSCs generated from these cells. Thus, we conclude that bone marrow MSCs physiologically lack expression of CD44, highlighting the natural phenotype of MSCs and opening new possibilities to prospectively isolate MSCs from the bone marrow.

Multiple transcription factors guide the development of mature functional natural killer (NK) cells, yet little is known about their function. We used global gene expression and genome-wide binding analyses combined with developmental and functional studies to unveil three roles for the ETS1 transcription factor in NK cells. ETS1 functions at the earliest stages of NK cell development to promote expression of critical transcriptional regulators including T-BET and ID2, NK cell receptors (NKRs) including NKp46, Ly49H, and Ly49D, and signaling molecules essential for NKR function. As a consequence, Ets(-/-) NK cells fail to degranulate after stimulation through activating NKRs. Nonetheless, these cells are hyperresponsive to cytokines and have characteristics of chronic stimulation including increased expression of inhibitory NKRs and multiple activation-associated genes. Therefore, ETS1 regulates a broad gene expression program in NK cells that promotes target cell recognition while limiting cytokine-driven activation.

Even though stem cells have been identified in several tissues, one of the best understood somatic stem cells is the bone marrow residing haematopoietic stem cell (HSC). These cells are able to generate all types of blood cells found in the periphery over the lifetime of an animal, making them one of the most profound examples of tissue-restricted stem cells. HSC therapy also represents one of the absolutely most successful cell-based therapies applied both in the treatment of haematological disorders and cancer. However, to fully explore the clinical potential of HSCs we need to understand the molecular regulation of cell maturation and lineage commitment. The extensive research effort invested in this area has resulted in a rapid development of the understanding of the relationship between different blood cell lineages and increased understanding for how a balanced composition of blood cells can be generated. In this review, several of the basic features of HSCs, as well as their multipotent and lineage-restricted offspring, are addressed, providing a current view of the haematopoietic development tree. Some of the basic mechanisms believed to be involved in lineage restriction events including activities of permissive and instructive external signals are also discussed, besides transcription factor networks and epigenetic alterations to provide an up-to-date view of early haematopoiesis.

The development of hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow is dependent on cellular interactions between blood cell progenitors and mesenchymal stroma cells. In order to increase the understanding of how cells communicate in this specialized environment, we have developed software scripts that allow us to compare gene expression patterns in two cells types and extract information about potential interaction pathways. The gene expression data was generated from freshly isolated FACS purified BM cells of hematopoietic or mesenchymal origins. This proposed that defined mesenchymal populations provide specific components to the microenvironment. Furthermore, even though several communication pathways were shared by multiple hematopoietic developmental stages, stage specific interactions may be involved in the modulation of defined progenitor populations. Additionally the analysis suggested that there existed possibilities for the hematopoietic cells to signal to the stroma cells and for the stroma cells to signal to each other. Our analysis suggests existence of a highly complex and dynamic crosstalk in the BM microenvironment.

This thesis is focused on the subject of cell-cell interaction. Our body is composed of cells, most of them are integrated in a network with other cells that together forms tissues and organs. Every cell type in these complex organs has its special task and location. This is true whether we are doing research on humans or, as we have been, investigating mice. Mice are excellent models for studies of blood cell development since this process in mice resembles human blood cell generation in many regards.

Cells communicate with each other by sending out small molecules or by directly binding to surrounding cells; to cells of the same kind as well as to cells with different origins and tasks. A cell is surrounded by hundreds of different signal-carrying entities; soluble, bound to the extra cellular matrix or bound to its surface. Every cell has to distinguish and respond to the environment according to its own specific nature.

In the first article interleukin 7 (IL-7) a growth factor expressed by the stroma cells was studied. Results show that IL-7 is crucial for the immature progenitor cell in its development towards antibody producing B-lymphocytes. The second article is about stroma cells and their ability to support the development of B-cells. It is a comparative study on two different cell lines, where we focus on transcription factors and their regulation of protein induction of factors supporting B-cells. This study increased our knowledge of stroma cells. In the third paper we combined our knowledge from the first two papers in regard to stroma cells as well as B-cell development by testing if there is a possibility to theoretically find new factors of importance for the maturing B-cell. We achieved this by the development of GCINT, a database investigating possible receptorligand interactions between two cells, verifying these results in vitro with cell lines as well as primary cells. This revealed a two way communication between blood cells and stroma cells, highlighting the complexity of the bone marrow environment. In the last article we continued this work with primary FACS sorted stroma cells investing the potential connections between each of the stroma cell populations with primary blood cells in different stages of development. This work supports a model where hematopoietic cells can interact with stroma cells in a stage-specific manner and that the exchange between cells is of importance for their maturation.

Abstract [en]

eficiencies in the IL-7 signaling pathway result in severe disruptions of lymphoid development in adult mice. To understand more about how IL-7 deficiency impacts early lymphoid development, we have investigated lineage restriction events within the common lymphoid progenitor (CLP) compartment in IL-7 knockout mice. This revealed that although IL-7 deficiency had a minor impact on the development of LY6D(-) multipotent CLPs, the formation of the lineage restricted LY6D(+) CLP population was dramatically reduced. This was reflected in a low-level transcription of B-lineage genes as well as in a loss of functional B-cell commitment. The few Ly6D(+) CLPs developed in the absence of IL-7 displayed increased lineage plasticity and low expression of Ebf-1. Absence of Ebf-1 could be linked to increased plasticity because even though Ly6D(+) cells develop in Ebf-1-deficient mice, these cells retain both natural killer and dendritic cell potential. This reveals that IL-7 is essential for normal development of Ly6D(+) CLPs and that Ebf-1 is crucial for lineage restriction in early lymphoid progenitors.

Abstract [en]

Background: The use of functional genomics has largely increased our understanding of cell biology and promises to help the development of systems biology needed to understand the complex order of events that regulates cellular differentiation in vivo. One model system clearly dependent on the integration of extra and intra cellular signals is the development of B-lymphocytes from hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. This developmental pathway involves several defined differentiation stages associated with specific expression of genes including surface markers that can be used for the prospective isolation of the progenitor cells directly from the bone marrow to allow for ex vivo gene expression analysis. The developmental process can be simulated in vitro making it possible to dissect information about cell/cell communication as well as to address the relevance of communication pathways in a rather direct manner. Thus we believe that B-lymphocyte development represents a useful model system to take the first steps towards systems biology investigations in the bone marrow. Results: In order to identify extra cellular signals that promote B lymphocyte development we created a database with approximately 400 receptor ligand pairs and software matching gene expression data from two cell populations to obtain information about possible communication pathways. Using this database and gene expression data from NIH3T3 cells (unable to support B cell development), OP-9 cells (strongly supportive of B cell development), pro-B and pre-B cells as well as mature peripheral B-lineage cells, we were able to identify a set of potential stage and stromal cell restricted communication pathways. Functional analysis of some of these potential ways of communication allowed us to identify BMP-4 as a potent stimulator of B-cell development in vitro. Further, the analysis suggested that there existed possibilities for progenitor B cells to send signals to the stroma. The functional consequences of this were investigated by co-culture experiments revealing that the co-incubation of stromal cells with B cell progenitors altered both the morphology and the gene expression pattern in the stromal cells. Conclusions: We believe that this gene expression data analysis method allows for the identification of functionally relevant interactions and therefore could be applied to other data sets to unravel novel communication pathways.

Sigvardsson, Mikael

Abstract [en]

The development of hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow is dependent on cellular interactions between blood cell progenitors and mesenchymal stroma cells. In order to increase the understanding of how cells communicate in this specialized environment, we have developed software scripts that allow us to compare gene expression patterns in two cells types and extract information about potential interaction pathways. The gene expression data was generated from freshly isolated FACS purified BM cells of hematopoietic or mesenchymal origins. This proposed that defined mesenchymal populations provide specific components to the microenvironment. Furthermore, even though several communication pathways were shared by multiple hematopoietic developmental stages, stage specific interactions may be involved in the modulation of defined progenitor populations. Additionally the analysis suggested that there existed possibilities for the hematopoietic cells to signal to the stroma cells and for the stroma cells to signal to each other. Our analysis suggests existence of a highly complex and dynamic crosstalk in the BM microenvironment.

Leukotriene C-4 is a potent inflammatory mediator formed from arachidonic acid and glutathione. 5-Lipoxygenase (540), 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) and leukotriene C-4 synthase (LTC4S) participate in its biosynthesis. We report evidence from in situ hybridization experiments that FLAP mRNA is abundantly expressed in fetal mouse liver from e11.5 until delivery. In contrast very little or no FLAP mRNA was detected in adult liver. The fetal expression in liver was not uniform but occurred in patches. Cells from e15.5 livers were fractionated by fluorescence activated cell sorting into hepatocytes and other CD45(-) cells and CD45(+) hematopoietic cells. The latter were further separated into immature (Lin(-)) and mature (Lin(+)) cells and analyzed for FLAP mRNA content by quantitative RT-PCR. FLAP mRNA expression was confined to CD45(+) cells and the mature cells had approximately 4-fold higher FLAP mRNA levels compared to the immature cells.

Leukotrienes (LT) are potent pro-inflammatory mediators formed from arachidonic acid (AA) in reactions catalyzed by 5-lipoxygenase and either leukotriene A4 hydrolase or leukotriene C4 synthase. 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) is also required. We have previously reported expression of FLAP in the hematopoietic compartment of the fetal liver raising questions regarding the role of leukotrienes in hematopoietic regulation. Here we report evidence from in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR experiments that the complete LT biosynthesis machinery is abundantly expressed in hematopoietic cells of the fetal mouse liver from e11.5 until birth. FACS sorting of hematopoietic cells from e15.5 liver and adult bone marrow into different subpopulations followed by quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that expression was confined mainly to myeloid cells but also detected in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Analysis of FLAP knockout mice showed that a lack of this gene abolished LT and reduced 5(S)- hydroxyeicosa-6E,8Z,11Z,14Z-tetraenoic acid (HETE) production. Furthermore, decreased relative numbers of B-lymphocytes and increased numbers of T-lymphocytes were observed in peripheral blood and increased numbers of common lymphoid progenitor cells were observed in BM. Taken together these findings suggest that production of LTs can occur in cells of the fetal and adult hematopoietic compartments and that deficiency of the FLAP gene (and leukotrienes) may affect lymphocyte maturation.